Admission Requirements

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Program Prerequisites

• Master’s degree and bachelor’s degree in computer science, or engineering or a related STEM field from an accredited university or recognized international institution
• Recommended cumulative undergraduate and graduate GPA of 3.5 or higher

Required Materials

• Application
• Official transcripts for the last degree earned. To be considered for a scholarship, you must submit transcripts from each institution attended.
• Two letters of recommendation
  • Letters must come directly from employers, professors, or professional associates. Your recommenders should comment on your work ethic, academic or professional experience in your field of choice, and how you would positively contribute to the School of Engineering.
• Personal statement
  • In 250-500 words, describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study, your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be specific about why the Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering degree at the University of Bridgeport would be a good intellectual fit for you.
• Résumé
• GRE scores
  • A minimum score of 150 in verbal and a minimum score of 165 in quantitative

International Applicants

Please consult the International admission requirements page, or for specific queries, contact your admissions officer.

Deadlines

Completed application and all supporting documents must be received by:

• July 15 for the fall semester
• Dec 1 for the spring semester

Computer Science Courses

The Ph.D. degree is a certification of critical aptitude in scholarship, imagination, knowledge in the discipline, enterprise in research, and proficiency and style in communication. A candidate obtaining a Ph.D. degree must display a thorough understanding in the major areas of computer science and engineering and must master the necessary tools and techniques so as to be able to make original contributions to the field of computer science and engineering.

An equally important aspect is that of proficiency in oral and written communication skills. A summary of steps, NOT necessarily ordered, through which a student will proceed is as follows:

• Admission to the Ph.D. program of computer science and engineering on a ‘provisional status,’ if needed.
• Completing prerequisites.
• Completing the course work requirement for the Ph.D.
• Passing the written comprehensive examination.
• Admission to “Candidacy.”
• Selection of a dissertation advisor.
• Writing a dissertation proposal.
• Completion of the seminar requirement and working on the proposed research topic.
• Formation of dissertation committee.
• Approval of the dssertation by the dissertation committee.
• Successful completion of the dissertation defense.
• Submission of dissertation to the School of Engineering.
• Graduation with a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science and Engineering.

Computation, Intelligence and Robotics

CPEG 460	Introduction to Robotics
CPEG 560	Advanced Robotics
CPSC 504	Artificial Intelligence
CPSC 509	Automata Theory
CPSC 580	Introduction to Neural Networks
ELEG 405	Statistics for Engineers
ELEG 410	Biosensors
ELEG 413	Bioinformatics
ELEG 453	Pattern Recognition
ELEG 454	Introduction To Signal Processing
ELEG 456	Adaptive Signal Processing
ELEG 457	Speech Coding
ELEG 459	Audio Processing Lab
ELEG 460	Controls
ELEG 513	Biomedical image processing
ELEG 542	Advanced DSP
ELEG 544	Wavelets and Filter Banks
ELEG 546	Biomedical and Biometric signal Processing
MATH 402	Advanced Analysis for Scientists and Engineers II

Parallel Processing and Networks

CPEG 572	Data and Computer Communication
CPEG 472	Computer Networks
CPEG 473	Local Area Networks
CPEG 481	Mobile Communications
CPEG 482	Network Administration
CPEG 561	Network Security
CPSC 590	Parallel and Distributed Processing
ELEG 415	Fiber Optics
ELEG 430	Satellites/Wireless communication Systems
ELEG 437	Microwaves
ELEG 439	Radar Theory and Communication
ELEG 442	Digital communications
ELEG 443	Digital Signal Processing
ELEG RF	Communications

Information Technology Globalization Track

(Classes taken from TMCG satisfies this requirement)

This track emphasizes:

• The study of contemporary issues in the fields of global technology ventures
• Economics and management of the 21st century global engineering and computing enterprise
• Global/societal and economical impact of emerging technologies
• Managing the global research enterprise in the 21st century
• Global intellectual property management
• IP implications on technology and computing advances
• Case studies in technology management across national borders

In this track students must choose two courses from the TCMG department.

Languages and Systems

CPEG 489	Software Engineering
CPSC 410	Java Programming
CPSC 411	Advanced Object Oriented Programming with JAVA
CPSC 435	Unix System Programming
CPSC 440	Windows Programming
CPSC 445	Advanced Windows Programming
CPSC 501	Object Oriented Programming with Software Design Patterns
CPSC 502	Analysis of Algorithms
CPSC 503	Operating Systems
CPSC 545	Component Based Software Design
CPSC 551	Advanced Databases
CPSC 552	Data Mining
CPSC 555	Web-Based Application Development

Computer Architecture and VLSI

CPEG 447	Field Programmable Gate Arrays
CPEG 448D	Introduction to VLSI Design
CPEG 458	Analog VLSI
CPEG 540	Image Processing
CPEG 548	Low Power VLSI Circuit Design
CPEG 550	Advanced VLSI Design
ELEG 404	Digital VLSI
ELEG 443	Digital Signal Processing
ELEG 458	Analog VLSI
ELEG 482	Analog Integrated Circuits
ELEG 483	Digital Integrated Circuits
ELEG 548	Low Power VLSI Circuit Design
ELEG 549	VLSI testing
ELEG 550	VLSI: Digital System design

Other Courses

This subsection mentions a number of additional courses that do not belong to any of the previous areas of specialization.

CPSE 692	Special Topics in Computer Science
CPSE 693	Special Topics in Computer Engineering
CPSE 694	Written Comprehensive Examinations
CPSE 698	Teaching requirement
CPSE 699	Seminar (Oral Exam)
CPSE 710	Ph.D. dissertation

Learning Outcomes

The graduate from the Ph.D. program in Computer Science and Engineering program will:

1. use advanced mathematical proof methodologies in computer science and engineering.
2. demonstrate a strong and in depth background in hardware and software issues in computer science.
3. posses a strong background in implementing software systems and/or hardware systems.
4. posses a strong background in designing diverse and integrated software/ hardware systems solutions.
5. critically analyze problems and thoroughly evaluate potential benefits of alternative solution in designing software and/or hardware systems.

Program Requirements

The following summarize the general requirements for successfully achieving the program requirements:

• Successful completion of preliminary examinations and courses
• Satisfactory performance in written comprehensive and oral examinations
• Admission to Ph.D. candidacy
• Successful completion and defense of original work documented as a dissertation
• Satisfaction of additional requirements such as teaching and seminars

The formal degree offered is the “Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science and Engineering.” This will be awarded to candidates who complete all the requirements of the Ph.D. degree.

Academic Requirements

Time and Load Guidelines

Course Work

Course Grade Point Average

Seminar Requirement

Core Courses

Comprehensive Examination

Dissertation Committee

Admission to Candidacy

Residency Requirement

Dissertation

Dissertation Defense Examination

Concentration Areas

The following is a list of Research / Concentration Areas under the Ph.D. Program.

1. Computer architecture and VLSI and FPGA
2. Design, modeling, and simulation of embedded and integrated systems and device applications
3. Electromechanical systems prototyping and optimization
4. Robotics, automation, machine perception and sensing
5. Software engineering, Web development, and computational sciences
6. Systems and computer security and biometrics
7. Mobile communication, cloud computing, Internet of Things and networking